Such operating devices are used in motor vehicles by a user to operate a wide variety of functions.
Such an operating device having a sensor face and having an optical reflection sensor device which has at least one light emitting diode and at least one photodiode for optical radiation is known per se. When an operating element, for example a finger of the user, is made to approach the sensor face and/or the sensor face is touched by means of the operating element, a signal can be generated by means of the sensor device in that the optical radiation which is emitted by the light emitting diode is reflected by the operating element at least partially to the photodiode, and this reflected optical radiation is correspondingly evaluated. Such an operating device therefore operates in the manner of a touchpad.
Furthermore, it is known in motor vehicles to use operating devices of the type of a multi-functional operating element to trigger various functions by the user. Such a multi-functional operating element has a movable operating element which serves to activate at least one electrical switch element. The activated switch element in turn generates an electrical signal which then brings about the triggering of the desired function.